Beyond the Bell: Find Your Crew in BHS’s Growing Club Scene

By Vesa Bejleri and Zara Serrano

While studying, taking notes, awkward hallway encounters, and spilling water on yourself at lunchtime are all core parts of a typical school day, so are after-school activities.

Or maybe they don’t count because they’re after school – either way, they are one of the most important things in the development of a student’s interests and talents.

Luckily, BHS has 34 clubs, 5 student government organizations, and several honor societies, so it is safe to say that there is something for everyone. In fact, student membership in clubs increased by 19% last year, according to Mr. Briganti, citing the addition of new clubs such as Hope Club, Drone Club, and Robotics.

And of course we would not be doing our job if we did not acknowledge that one club – The Branford Buzz – has made this entire article possible. The Buzz is always looking for new writers, photographers, videographers, even students who want to create social media content. If you’re interested, get in touch with Mr. Miller in D27.

And if you’re reading this thinking, “Eh, I’m not really an after-school type of person,” buckle up—we might just change your mind. 

Take Mrs. Roy, for example. She hosts three very different clubs, each with their own form of love shown about different topics: Young Woman’s Club, Anime Club, and Hope Club. The latter is a place where students gather and share their love, faith and compassion in God.

“It is a beautiful club,” Mrs. Roy said. “A safe space for students to connect with each other and it is just filled with vibrant individuals.”

Young Woman’s Club, on the other hand, embraces their motto “Kindness is contagious” by hosting fundraisers (next one coming up in early October!) and doing everything they can to support women in our community.

And for the Anime-obsessed, Anime Club is the place to go. They draw, watch, and discuss student’s favourite animes, while also indulging in the many snacks that Mrs. Roy provides during all her clubs (more to the reasons why you should join, in our humble opinion).

BHS also offers lots of clubs in the STEM fields as well, including Robotics, Science Olympiad (which we personally recommend checking out), Chem Club, etc. If you are into theorizing and speculating about how our world is shaped, then Mr. Corbett’s Physics Club is a great place to be!

 “The Physics Club is for students who love asking the big, philosophical questions that go beyond the high school curriculum—we call it “Physical Thinking. We focus on thought experiments, paradoxes, and the fundamental ideas that have shaped our understanding of reality.. and sometimes math problems that accompany them,” as he explains. 

(There’s a session on Noether’s Theorem Sep. 30, so keep tabs if you are interested!)

In the creative department, this is what Mrs. Kropiwnicki shares with us as head of Art Club: “ Any BHS student interested in art is welcome to join the Art Club. Experience or talent is not required for joining, a love for & appreciation of art along with a willingness to create is helpful. It’s a place to find like-minded friends in a creative environment!”

For the leadership oriented, Dhruvi Desai, Student Government President, shared that Student Government has seen some exciting changes this year with three co-Presidents (Dhruvi, Genevieve Longobardi, and Tania Majeed) and two faculty advisors. They’re already hard at work on Homecoming, happening November 21st, so save the date.

“Our core mission is to serve as the bridge between the student population and the school’s administration. We advocate for student interests, manage funding for student activities, and create events and initiatives that improve the overall school experience..”

If you are more into the classics, check out Ping Pong Club, the longest continuously running recreation club at BHS, hosted by Mr. Miller.

Fun fact: Social Studies teacher Mr. Trotta helped found the club in 2006 when he was a freshman at BHS. As Mr. Miller said: “I actually remember beating him pretty regularly back then. There’s a real legacy to the ping pong club that is unique among all the clubs and organizations in the school. And there is room for everyone.”

Well, there you go; a sport, a legacy, and a story. If that’s not convincing, I don’t know what is.

So why join a club? Beyond the fun, it comes down to purpose. What inspires you? What issues are you passionate about? What values guide you? Whether it’s the arts, leadership, service, sports, or just trying something new, there’s always a place to plug in.

As freshmen ourselves, we know how easy it is to feel unsure about joining something new. But we encourage you to take the leap—you might just find a community you never expected.

The real question is: “To join… or not to join?”

Editor's note: Vesa Bejleri and Zara Serrano are 9th graders who have had their hands full trying to decide just which clubs to join at BHS.